Mosques should raise national-flag to strengthen concept-of-nation: China Islamic Association
What's the story
All mosques in China should raise the national flag and study Chinese Constitution, socialist core values, and traditional classical Chinese culture to strengthen their "concept of nation" and carry forward "spirit of patriotism," China Islamic Association said in a letter published on its website.
Chinese experts hailed the initiative for seeking to assimilate religion into a socialist society and as progress for religious development.
Information
China has 20 million Muslims
The legal study classes should be offered so that Muslims can conduct religious activities in accordance with the law. Reportedly, China has 20 million Muslims mainly comprised of Uygurs of Xinjiang and Hui Muslims of Ningxia. China has about 35,000 Islamic mosques.
Violation of principle
Internet users question raising of national flag at Mosques
Some Internet users questioned whether raising a national flag at a religious site was a violation of the principle of separation of politics and religion.
Experts said that the Chinese law stipulates that politics and religion should not interfere with each other, but the national flag represents the country, not politics and hanging flags does not intervene in the freedom of religious activities.